Category Archives: Rainwater Catchment

Potable, Rainwater Catchment

Is Rainwater Clean and Safe to Drink?

clear-water-glass_smRainwater is generally considered clean to begin with, however, water is an excellent medium for growth and transport of disease causing organisms.

The good news is rainwater is relatively easy to filter and disinfect, and disinfected rainwater may significantly improve drinking water supplies.

The clean water act of 1974 and recent amendments have enhanced the protection of drinking water. But, news bulletins throughout the United States of contaminated municipal supplies have spawned an increased interest in rainwater harvesting as a source of drinking water. People are looking toward alternatives to an aging, overwhelmed infrastructure to provide a safe, clean source of drinking water for the household and family.

Water quality problems associated with rainwater harvesting systems most often originate in the catchment area, conveyance system, or storage components caused by:

  • System was poorly maintained
  • Collected water was not properly disinfected
  • Conveyance and storage were poorly designed
  • Simple measures were not taken to ensure the quality of the water

All harvested rainwater that is intended for potable use must be treated effectively to minimize the risk of harming human health. To ensure a RWH system is producing high quality water, proper techniques in design, construction and maintenance along with testing need to be conducted.

Recent plumbing codes set by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and American Society of Plumbing Engineers (ASPE) along with the American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association (ARCSA) have been adopted at the national level and must be adhered to by designers and contractors installing rainwater collection systems meant for potable and non potable use. 

Rainwater harvesting can be a safe, reliable source of drinking water if codes and practices are conducted. Ask if your designer and installer are ARCSA Accredited Professionals and are up to date on the latest plumbing codes. 

Rainwater Catchment

Rainwater Systems Designs

ruler-1030968_640RainBank Rainwater Systems designs potable and non potable rainwater catchment systems throughout Washington, Oregon, and Idaho.

RainBank’s experienced team provides customers with an integrated, progressive approach to sustainable, premium water systems.

Our customers include;

  • Eco-friendly homeowners seeking to add rainwater collection or integrate into plans for a new premium or custom built residence
  • Architects developing plans for premium residential projects
  • High-end building contractors specializing in custom builds
  • Commercial contractors where rainwater harvesting is a component to the scope of the project

We work closely with our clients early on in the project to insure the system design will meet the client’s needs and desires. We spec only quality components, chosen based on our 15 years of experience, ensuring performance for years to come.

RainBank is a full service LLC with in-house engineering, design team, and licensed plumber. Our designs meet all county and state plumbing codes and their requirements. RainBank is familiar with the permitting process in most counties and will process the permitting to alleviate the guesswork for our clients. Our designs include;

  • Calculations of domestic demands & supply, MIDs, & sizing 
  • Drawings from down spout to storage, cistern placement, conveyance, filtration train, connection to household  and civil
  • Complete list and specs of components along with manufacturer cut sheets
  • Operations and maintenance manual
  • County permitting from health department

We install our own designs to ensure the system will meet the high standards we have set in the industry. We offer inspections of other systems for evaluation, real estate and insurance transactions, always with a detailed written report including sampling results and photos for submittal.

RainBank’s team is ARCSA  Accredited & ARCSA  Inspector Specialists.

Need more info? Contact us below:

Rainwater Catchment, Water Tanks

Fire Protection Water Storage

You may have read that RainBank is a Master Dealer for water tanks by Contain Water Systems.

Why Contain?

They are the manufacturer of corrugated steel liquid storage tanks primarily used for the storage of water. Contain’s water series tanks and accessories come with a 20 year warranty, the longest in the industry, backed by a team of certified installers around the country ready to provide a top notch installation service for your project site.

As the most experienced designer and installer of rainwater systems in the Pacific Northwest, RainBank selects the highest quality materials and products for its customers. Many of the systems we built early on are still operating – and our customers still refer us – because our systems are build to last. With a 20 year warranty, Contain Water Systems’ steel water tanks are the perfect fit for RainBank’s selective customers.

More about Contain Water Systems Tanks and Accessories

  • Contain Water Systems Inc. Water Series tanks & accessories are designed and engineered for several applications. Rainwater harvesting, stormwater management, fire protection, irrigation, agricultural, industrial, mining, potable drinking water and many other applications.
  • Contain Water Systems Inc. water series tanks & accessories are manufactured from high quality corrugated, hot-dipped galvanized steel for superior strength and durability.
  • Contain Water Systems Inc. includes a full scale structural engineering package with each estimation designed to the seismic area in your project location throughout the USA & Canada.

Please enjoy these photos from a recent custom engineered project from Contain Water Systems Inc. This tank was built inside a pre-assembled enclosure. Model CGS 1806 NFPA 22 Fire Protection Tank providing  the customer with 41,500 gallons of fire protection water storage.

Contact us about your next project today.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.